10-minute Bananas Foster recipe made with bananas, easy caramel rum sauce, and vanilla ice cream. New Orleans-inspired banana flambe might become your date-night secret weapon!
What is Bananas Foster
The story goes during the 1950's in New Orleans, Brennan's restaurant owner, Owen Brennan, asked Chef Paul Blange to create a dessert with bananas, a locally imported commodity. So he cooked bananas in a caramel rum sauce, ignited it, and topped it with vanilla ice cream. It's such a romantic dessert, no wonder it was born in New Orleans.
Bananas foster recipe ingredients
- butter - add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
- brown sugar - light or dark
- cinnamon stick - or ground cinnamon
- ripe bananas - preferably not over ripe
- dark rum - bourbon works too
- vanilla ice cream
- pecans - or walnuts (or preferred nut)
How ripe should bananas be for bananas foster dessert?
I prefer to use firmly ripened bananas with very yellow (not browned) skin for bananas foster. They'll soften up when cooked in the rum sauce and I don't want them too soft. If you want a recipe that uses brown-skinned overripe bananas, check out my ridiculously moist Banana Bread recipe. It's banana heaven!
How to make bananas foster
- Make the easy caramel sauce by heating butter, brown sugar, vanilla, pecans, and cinnamon in a skillet.
- Add bananas - saute until softened
- Flambe - (optional) see details in recipe card below
- Baste - cook bananas in the sauce
- Serve - top with ice cream, and devour!
What is banana flambe?
Flambe is when alcohol is added to food and ignited. When you make bananas foster flambe, rum or bourbon is added to a buttery, brown sugar mixture and set alight briefly. You can make bananas foster as a banana flambe, or not. Either method will make a delicious caramel rum sauce.
I'll state the obvious here, but ALL precautions MUST be taken to avoid injury and prevent fire. As with any cooking activity, a fire extinguisher or fire blanket should be on hand at all times.
Can you make Bananas Foster ahead of time?
You could make the caramel sauce ahead of time and refrigerate until needed. However, unless you're hosting an event, I find it just as easy to make the sauce as needed because it comes together in a snap. You wouldn't want to make banana flambe ahead because the bananas will become mushy.
Is Bananas Foster alcoholic?
Alcohol is a key ingredient of classic bananas foster. The flambe process happens very quickly and 75% of the alcohol is retained even after cooking. So, if a person is avoiding alcoholic desserts, omit the alcohol entirely and enjoy this dessert without it.
Can you substitute the alcohol in bananas foster?
If you want to substitute an ingredient for the alcohol in this recipe, you can substitute equal amount of apple juice, pineapple juice, or heavy cream. It might not be a classic bananas foster recipe and you won't be able to flambe (ignite) it, but it will still be delicious.
Recommended Tools
- 8” cast iron skillet or any small skillet
- paring knife
- fork or whisk
- silicone spatula
- matches or fireplace lighter (if igniting)
How to serve bananas foster
One of my favorite things about this dessert, besides everything, is that you can serve it in the skillet you cooked it in. I used this cute 8" cast iron skillet, which serves 1-2 people. You can serve bananas foster in any dish other than a skillet, I just have a soft spot for iron skillet desserts.
Easy dessert recipes
- No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
- Blueberry Zucchini Bread
- Triple Berry No Churn Ice Cream
- Chocolate Eclair Icebox Cake
- Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
- Blueberry Crisp [Vegan Gluten Free]
- Pear Apple Cranberry Crisp
- Orange Olive Oil Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache
More Banana Recipes
Bananas Foster
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Butter
- 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
- pinch Cinnamon, or cinnamon stick
- 1 ripe Bananas, sliced lengthwise
- 2 Tbsp Dark Rum, or bourbon
- 1-2 4 oz scoops Vanilla Ice Cream
- 1 Tbsp Pecans or Walnuts, chopped
Equipment
- 8” cast iron skillet or any skillet
- silicone spatula
- matches or fireplace lighter (if igniting)
Instructions
- Melt BUTTER in skillet over medium heat.
- Add BROWN SUGAR and CINNAMON, stirring until sugar dissolves.
- Add BANANAS and cook a few minutes on both sides until softened.
- Turn off stove burner and pour in RUM.
If you don't want to ignite / flambe
- Turn burner back on and allow sauce to cook a few minutes, stirring as needed, then serve.
To make banana flambe, there are 2 ways you can ignite the flame. BE CAREFUL either way and do not stand over the skillet.
- Option 1) Gas stove burner: Turn burner on and adjust to LOW heat. Carefully tip the skillet into the flame to ignite the alcohol, shaking the pan around to baste the bananas until the flame burns off.Option 2) Match or lighter: Keep stove burner off and use a long match or lighter to ignite the alcohol, shaking the pan around to baste the bananas until the flame burns off.
To serve bananas foster
- Serve bananas and sauce in the warm skillet or transfer to a bowl. Add ICE CREAM and PECANS.
Traci's Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.
Kayla says
Hi Traci! Question - do I need to use a cast iron skillet or can a different kind of skillet be used?
Hi Kayla, any skillet will work. Let me know if you have other questions. Thanks so much and enjoy! 🙂
Laura McCormick says
I want to try this recipe but have a question on this...how many can be served with this recipe?
Hi Laura, the recipe yields (2) 1-cup servings, so it's perfect to share on date night.
Jeff says
This bananas foster hits the spot every time. It's easy to make and is so good, it makes me look like I know what I'm doing. My kind of recipe!
Yes! This is my kind of review 🙂 Thanks, Jeff!
Adam Lane says
This recipe is spot on, this has been my favorite forever.
I had it at Brennans once. One of those life altering experiences.
I must say as far as that first paragraph, and also as a bachelor...do you not know the meaning of "Secret"? Aaaaahhhh. i thought this was my secret.
Adam...wow, thanks SO much! Glad to know you're a fan of this too! Yep, the secret is out
Veena Azmanov says
This is such a unique recipe. Cant wait to try this Banana Foster recipe. I love Bananas fried too. Definitely this dish will turn out to be amazing .
Thanks Veena! Yep, when those fried bananas hit the ice cream...heaven! 😉
Krista Price says
I never would have thought Bananas Foster was so simple! This is my grandmother's favorite dessert! I can't wait to share this with her, and THANK YOU for sharing! 🙂
Thanks Krista! Hope your grandmother approves 😉
Deepika says
What a delicious recipe. And as you said, it is a perfect date night recipe for sure. I will try this for me and my husband sometime soon.
Thanks Deepika! I think husbands will love this dessert 🙂
Amy says
Wow, I had no idea that bananas Foster was so easy to make. I guess because it has a fancy name, I always thought it would be more complicated!
Thanks Amy, I think the flambe is what throws people 😉 Hope you love it!
Jessica Formicola says
I love a good bananas foster, and this recipe looks great! I can't wait to try this!
Thanks Jessica! Hope you love it like I do 🙂
Louise says
Bananas Foster! My absolute favorite dessert of all time! And those skillets... I NEED those skillets! Great recipe and I will be making this for sure!
I'm pretty crazy about it myself 😉 Hope you get to make this one!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish says
I just yelled out to my hubby, "I just found a delicious banana foster recipe." He answered with a "Yay." Your recipe looks so delicious and easy! I'll be making your banana foster this weekend for sure!
Aww Elaine, thank you ...I lovvvvve hearing that! You'll love this recipe...so easy and satisfies that comfort food dessert craving 🙂